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The Morrisby psychometrics are designed to measure normally occurring variations in aptitudes, aspirations and personality. They have been developed to be widely accessible, meaning almost all young people should be able to complete the assessments without difficulty. Features such as example and practice questions that can be viewed before the actual aptitude tests, and the ability to re-take the untimed aspirations and personality assessments, are included to support accessibility.

Research into the effect of neurodiverse conditions on psychometric test performance is still a developing area. Recent evidence suggests that effects may be minor, but the considerable variation seen within the neurodiverse population makes drawing generalisations difficult. However, with appropriate conditions, support and, where necessary, adjustments, the Morrisby assessments will provide valuable insights to the majority of young people.

The British Psychological Society (BPS) provides guidance on neurodiversity and psychometric testing, aimed at test users. This guidance includes practical suggestions for administrators to ensure assessments are accessible and appropriate for users with neurodiverse conditions. Whilst these suggestions are based on general good practice in test use, they can be particularly important for neurodiverse users. We therefore advise test administrators to:

• Engage with young people at an early stage, before the Morrisby assessments are due to take place. This gives time for any specific needs to be understood and accommodations put in place.
• Allow young people to access the practice materials before completing the full assessments. This will help increase familiarisation with the tasks and reduce stress. Going through the practice materials may also highlight to a young person if they need additional support to complete an assessment.
• Adopt a calm and reassuring approach during the actual administration, ensuring the assessments are completed in a supportive environment. Appropriate messaging about the purpose of the assessments and how the outcomes can be used will also help to ensure they are not viewed as a potential source of stress.
• Take time to make sure that all test instructions are fully understood. Some neurominorities may have difficulties with short term/working memory, meaning test performance may be affected by understanding of the instructions rather than reflecting a lack of ability.
• During the session itself, be available to support the young people when they are completing the assessments and check that they are completing them appropriately and not becoming unduly frustrated or distressed.

It is helpful for all young people to review their Profiles with an experienced careers adviser.  However, when interpreting the Morrisby Profile there may be some additional considerations for young people with neurodiverse conditions. It is important to recognise the following:

• If difficulties are experienced with working memory, this may lead to the results of some aptitude tests being lower than expected. Consideration should be given to the overall profile of aptitudes rather than the absolute scores, highlighting those areas of strength for the young person. Any aptitude areas that are notably lower than all others should be explored, and it can be helpful to seek additional information in discussion with the young person to determine how valid the result is for them.
• There is some evidence that people with neurodiverse conditions may have more ‘spiky’ profiles. These may appear in the aptitudes results or in their aspirations and personality profiles. Such profiles can reflect very specific interests or ways of behaving, as well as cognitive strengths. Identifying strengths is valuable when looking at career fit, but careful consideration needs to be given to how the whole profile may relate to the diverse demands that are associated with most jobs. 
• For many young people starting career exploration, the idea of working in a job several years in the future can be difficult to imagine. This can be particularly the case for neurodivergent young people where processing often focuses on current experience rather than speculative thinking. If a young person finds considering future careers difficult, try getting them to think about concrete aspects of a job, what their actual day may look like, and what milestones they would need to achieve to work towards a specific career.
• Career exploration is about weighing up choices and considering alternatives. Rarely will one career be an ideal fit over all others, so being too focused on one career too early may lead a young person to discount options and not make the best decisions for them. Absolute thinking about careers should be challenged in a supportive way, especially when a young person is focused on a single career to the exclusion of all others.

If users with neurodiverse conditions have a professional diagnostic report, sharing this with Morrisby can allow specific recommendations to be given or adjustments made to their Profile.